4.5: Summary of the Suffixes -s and -es

Summary of the Suffixes -s and -es

1. When you make a plural noun out of a singular noun that ends in the letters , <z>, <x>, <ch>, <sh>, you add -es.

2. When you make a plural noun out of a singular noun that ends in the letter <y> with a consonant letter right in front of it, you change the <y> to and add the suffix -es.

3. But usually when you want to make a noun plural, you just add the suffix -s

4. Now put those three statements together into one good rule for how to spell plural nouns with the -s or -es suffix:

Rule for Spelling Plural Nouns

When you make a plural out of singular noun that ends in the letters , <z>, <x>, <ch>, or <sh>, you add the suffix -es, and when you want to make a plural out of singular noun that ends in a <y> with a consonant letter right in front of it, you change the <y> to and add the suffix -es, but with other nouns you just add the suffix -s.

5. Analyze each of these plural nouns into a singular noun plus a plural suffix. Show any letters that must be deleted or replaced:

Plural Noun

= Singular Noun

+ Plural Suffix

countries

= countr+ i

+ es

years

= year

+ s

freeways

= freeway

+ s

turtles

= turtle

+ s

elephants

= elephant

+ s

dances

= danc

+ es

monkeys

= monkey

+ s

kisses

= kiss

+ es

families

= famil+ l

+ es

schoolboys

= schoolboy

+ s

6. Add the correct suffix to each of these singular nouns to make them plural, again showing any letters that must be deleted or replaced:

Singular Noun

+ Suffix

= Plural Noun

tr + i

+ es

= tries

Wednesday

+ s

= Wednesdays

speech

+ es

= speeches

surpris

+ es

= surprises

attorney

+ s

= attorneys

momm + i

+ s

= mommies

pric

+ es

= prices

beaut + i

+ s

= beauties

societ + i

+ es

= societies

countr + i

+ es

= countries

Teaching Notes. In items 5 and 6 it is important that the students remember the final <e> deletion in dances, surprises, and prices.